The April 25, 2015 earthquake which affected parts of Nepal was our first full on emergency evacuation with our travel insurance partner World Nomads. We can't recommend them highly enough!

Read on to find out why YOU should have travel insurance when you travel internationally.

WHAT IS TRAVEL INSURANCE?

If you can’t afford overseas travel insurance, then you can’t afford to travel.

Is that really true?

For those who never travel with it, you’ll hear things like “Oh, it doesn’t matter if you lose your bags, just travel light with stuff you can afford to replace” or “Medical bills in South East Asia are pretty cheap.” or our favourite “Travel companies will just tell you the horror stories to get you to buy insurance”.

The last one is unashamedly true. We absolutely want you to know we’ve had to deal with emergencies and evacuations. We want you to know that without travel insurance, an emergency evacuation can cost in excess of US$10,000.

In most cases your travels will go without a hitch. You’ll not have to experience the nightmare of being seriously ill or injured in a foreign country. But if you do, the last thing you want is not having the support or financial means by which to get treated and flown home. Travel insurance covers you for unexpected hassles, such as having to be evacuated for an illness or injury, getting your precious DSLR stolen, or natural disasters which cause delays or cancellation *depending on your country of origin and the policy.

ALWAYS READ THE FINE PRINT TO CHECK IF YOU ARE COVERED FOR EVERYTHING YOU MIGHT NEED - NOT ALL POLICIES COVER ALL ACTIVITIES OR SCENARIOS.

WHAT HAPPENED TO US?

Saturday 25 April 2015 when an earthquake shook parts of Nepal, a group of 10 young trekkers from MHE were heading to Everest Base Camp. When the quake struck just before lunchtime, fortunately they were safe from immediate danger, at the top of a ridge with clear views around them. However, the quake the following day made their situation less certain. We had made sure that each of the 10 trekkers were insured with our preferred partner World Nomads. They offer cover for medical emergencies, helicopter evacuation, lost luggage and cancellation, depending on your country of residence and policy and is only available for travel outside your home country. Quick response and fast payouts are a hallmark of their high quality service.

Our MHE team in Delhi was in constant touch with World Nomads' 24-hour emergency service. They dispatched a rescue helicopter, but because of inclement weather it was unable to land. Two days later, the 10 trekkers, along with their trek leader Jamling Tenzing Norgay, were safely dropped off at Kathmandu airport. Throughout the process, the insurance company kept us and the trekking guide informed, right up till the moment the helicopter delivered them all safely. This allowed us to keep their family and friends up to date, as the communication systems in Nepal was mostly non existent.

What was the cost to our trekkers and their families - only the $97 they paid for the insurance.

so, is the cost really worth it?

If you spend $100 on insurance for 3 weeks, and don't need to use it, you shouldn't consider it money wasted. If you don't buy insurance, and you need to get helicopter rescued, or end up hospitalised, you'd better have a LOT of money in your bank account ready to be transferred to the charter company. Or the hospital.

If you are travelling in your own country, your regular medical insurance should cover any hospital treatment, but do check carefully to see if it covers medical emergency evacuations.